We recognise the most important influence in a child’s life is family. Children who grow up with safe, stable and nurturing relationships form stronger friendships, develop greater resilience, achieve more in school and are more likely to build positive relationships throughout their lives.
We are child focussed in our intent but recognise that the most effective way to help and protect children is to work alongside the whole family. Therefore strengthening families is central to our aims as we know that families have greater capacity for change when we work with them as partners. This is part of an evidence based approach known as Restorative Practice.
We aim to embed a culture across our workforce where dignity and respect is the basis for our interventions. Every member of staff will understand the principles of Restorative Practice and its ethos will underpin all of our work and align to the borough vision of ‘Forging a Future for all’.
CHILDREN’S SOCIAL CARE RECOGNITION AWARDS
2018
Nominees & Winners
We received over 150 nominations for staff and teams and we found it exceptionally hard to identify winners amongst all the entries.
All nominees received a certificate and the winners were announced at an awards ceremony on earlier on this year
at Himley Hall.
ASYE Graduates
Congratulations go the following social workers for completing their ASYE year:
Cohort 2015/2016
Leah Olive
Helene Nzacahayo
Cohort 2016/2017
Sapna Sharma
Sophie Rees
Joanne Fenton
Mohammed Waqar
Sandip Dhesi
Ruth Mwarage
Sunita Kallu
Patrick Nyamwanza
Laura Sharpes
Thais Zapta-Montava
Elizabeth Callear
Saran John
Team of the year
Nominees
Fostering Admin
Fostering Team
Corbyn Road Admin
IRO Team
Adoption Team
Corbyn Road Reception
Assessment Team 1
Safeguarding Team
Care Management Pod 2
Leaving Care Team
Fostering Admin
Children in Care Team 3
Fostering Team
Winner: MASH Team
“The MASH TEAM is multi professional. All partnership staff work in a pressurised environment and never stop working hard to make the right decision for child and families. Timescales are met (for the most), each partner is committed, each member of staff is committed, the child's voice is key to making decisions. The team was rated ‘Good’ last Ofsted visit.”
Support worker of the year
Nominees
Alison Bowles
Jo Bedworth
Jenni Fennell
Angela Healey
Jo Smith (Hanks)
Jill Sidaway
Anita Robinson
Joanne Palmer
Melanie Fincher
Chris Noble
Julie Garbett
Paulette Bacchus
Gary Brown
Lisa Neilson
Tammy McKenzie
Lisa Talbot
Margaret Johnson
Pauline Martin
Sara Harvey
Winner: Jenni Fennell, Intensive Family Support Worker
“Nominated for two awards Jenni completes 1-1 work with children and families in the ART Team (Adolescent Response Service.) Her commitment to maintaining children's safety, their dignity and positive outcomes goes above and beyond.
Jenni regularly works unsociable hours; late at night and weekends to get the best results and puts the service she offers before herself.”
Lead/team manager of the year
Nominees
Samantha Grainger
Anne-Marie Delaney
Joanne Attley
Claudia Gordon
Joy Gamble
Dhyal Samra
Kay Newton
Heather Flynn
Lucy Brown
Jacqui Heath
Maureen Moss
Jayne Gregory
Nikki Hubbard
Jeanette Manley
Rebecca Vaughan
Winner: Rebecca Vaughan, Team Manager
“Rebecca has shown perseverance throughout a very difficult and challenging time in Care Management, her dedication to her team is second to none. Rebecca is committed and has embraced the improvement journey, taking on board advice and guidance from Audits and Training.
Rebecca is proactive with supervision, has positive performance within her team and is a very valued member of the team.”
Business support officer of the year
Nominees
Amy Wilson
Joanne Attley
Beth Woodhouse
Krystena Jenkinson
Gurpreet Kumari
Lisa Woodhouse
Harry Stephenson
Mandy Albrighton
Heather Heywood
Michelle Cash
Winner: Heather Heywood and Lisa Woodhouse, Panel Admin
“Both (heather and Lisa) are very helpful and provide the team with consistency during a time of change. They have helped to cover the roles of the Admin Assistant which for much of the last 12 plus months has been vacant or filled temporarily and has continued to provide excellent service to the Adoption Team during huge uncertainty for the team in general.”
Working with young people in the community award
Winner: Dudley CVS
“The CVS team continue to work above and beyond to support children and families in the Dudley area.
The team is driven and passionate about the work they do and are making a real difference to the lives of young people”
Foster carer(s) of the year
Nominees
Eileen and Wilf Matthews
Lee Salton and James Mclaughlin
Laura and Paul Parker
Lorraine and Andy Butcher
Emma and Scott Hammond
Mitch Jeavons and Nicola McFarlane
Heather Banks
Tracey and Nick Jowett
Janet King
Tracey Price
Kath and Chris King
Winner: Lee Salton and James Mclaughlin
“Their commitment to the children in their care is evident; they offer a very high standard of fostering care. In addition they pay an important role in supporting other foster carers (day care and buddying) as well as in furthering the inclusion agenda (vulnerable groups).
They have had an active role in fostering our recruitment campaigns and have helped to raise the foster carer profile in Dudley.”
Social worker of the year
Nominees
Alison Hynds
Russell Savage
Claire Wood
Salinder Samrai
Clare Saunders
Sara Ogden
Emma McCarthy
Sarah Taylor
Helene Nzacahayo
Sarah Whitehouse
Jennifer Collett
Vicky Earls
Rachael Evans
Winner: Emma McCarthy
“Emma is a newly qualified worker and always goes above and beyond to support the family's she works with and staff within her team. Emma faces the challenges of the job head on.
She has demonstrated commitment to the children she works with and has maintained consistently good relationships with the families she works with; in often difficult circumstances, and has shown that she is resilient, resourceful, conscientious and above all, has passion for the work that she does.”
Extra mile award
Nominees
Cheryl Richards
Jo Smith (Hanks)
Christine Noble
Melanie Fincher
Danielle Kelly
Natalie Burke
Emma McCarthy
Natalie Beattie
Gary Brown
Rachael Evans
Jenni Fennel
Sarah Such
Jennie Topple
Vicky Earls
Winner: Christine Nobel
“Chris is the Connexions advisor that is linked to the Care Leavers Team. She works exceptionally hard to support the team and the young people we refer to her. She is resilient, always cheerful and goes the extra mile for the young people. She has high aspirations for care leavers within Dudley.
She is a brilliant advocate for them and regularly challenges stereotypes held by other professionals. She is always on the look-out for new initiatives and is creative when trying to support young people into training and employment. Chris is a valued part of our service and without her, our team would not be as effective.”
Strategic director’s award
Winners: Tipton Road Residential Care Home Staff
Richard Adams
Nigel Marshall
Jeff Hyde
Lynne Harrington
“Sometimes our commitment to putting children first can be evidenced in the most extraordinary ways. Richard Nigel, Jeff and Lynne are all members of staff at Tipton Road Children’s Home caring for some of our most vulnerable children.
In the recent snowy weather Richard walked for three and a half hours to get to work with his colleagues carrying out similar feats of endurance.”
Special recognition award
Winner: Russell Savage, social worker
“Russell has been given this award for his work with a very troubled young woman. Ultimately his commitment led to him being thanked by the young woman for saving her life after he physically stopped her from jumping from a car park roof and then being with her and supporting at a time that she thought all was lost.”
